


solace

by madkingray



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Canon Compliant, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, Krolia & Kolivan are there for a moment, M/M, Mentions of Other Voltron Paladins, Post-Season/Series 07, Sorta., Temporary Character Death
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-18
Updated: 2018-08-18
Packaged: 2019-06-29 03:22:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,655
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15720954
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/madkingray/pseuds/madkingray
Summary: Shiro and Keith, after the Lions fall.Shiro and Keith, in the hospital.(Shiro and Keith, together.)





	solace

**Author's Note:**

> Hi! I wrote this small little thing after Voltron Season 7. I did this and finished it and wanted to get it out quick because it be like that sometimes, so... sorry if it's messy. I love sheith too much. Hope you like it <3.

Shiro is one of the first few to get to the Black Lion.

Cold fear grips his heart when he sees the darkened eyes of the Lion. He ignores the indignant calls of his name as he rushes forward, flight suit getting snagged on a few pieces of rocks, and comes to a stop in front of the Lion’s mouth.

It’s completely shut, and there’s no other way to get inside when it’s shut off like this.

Their connection is gone, it’s been gone ever since Allura pulled his spirit out of the Black Lion, but he still closes his eyes and attempts to reach out to her.

“Please,” he whispers, _ begs,  _ as he hits a blank wall that emanates a faint, pulsating warmth. “I know I’m not your Paladin anymore but please, let me in. I need—I have to save him.” He shifts closer to press his forehead against the cool metal, a tear slipping down his cheek. “Please, Black. I can’t lose him.”

That blank wall cracks open, tired reassurance brushing over his very soul, and then the sound of creaking metal fills the air. Shiro opens his eyes and sees that her jaw has opened up enough to allow him to slip through.

“Thank you,” he says quietly, gratefully, as he quickly enters the Lion.

Keith is still sitting at the pilot’s seat, head slumped forward and arms lax at his sides. His eyes are shut and there’s blood covering the right side of his face, and Shiro has a moment of panic when he can’t see the steady rise and fall of his chest.

“No, no, no, no,” he breathes out shakily, carefully pulling him out of the seat and cradling him gently. He pulls his helmet off and brushes the bloody strands of hair away from his face, palm resting against his cheek while he brushes a thumb over his cheekbone. “Please, please, please be okay. Keith, don’t—” He chokes, pressing their foreheads together. “—I can’t lose you. Not you. Please…”

Nothing.

“ _ Please, _ ” he says, much more desperate. “Don’t leave me. Fight. Live. I-I won’t give up on you, Keith.” His voice drops to a whisper. “Please.”

Then, he hears the most beautiful sound: Keith’s sharp inhale, unsteady breathing following.

Shiro lifts his head and nearly sobs in relief when he sees Keith looking up at him, eyes cracked open a sliver and lips quirked at the corner of his mouth.

“Saved me,” Keith says hoarsely, eyes slipping shut only seconds after.

He laughs wetly as he hears people clambering into the Lion, leaning down to press a quick kiss to Keith’s bloody forehead. “We saved each other,” he murmurs, chest lighter than before. “We always save each other.”

 

☆ ☆

 

Keith and the rest of the Paladins are expected to make a full recovery with time. 

Everyone has injuries that, strangely enough, correlate with the Lion they were piloting—along with bruising on their ribs and few sprains here and there. They’ve been unconscious since they were taken out of the Lions and brought to the Garrison hospital, not even twitching when friends and family trail in and out of their room.

Shiro makes sure to drop by each room, staying for a few minutes before moving on. He always finds himself drawn back to Keith’s room, sitting in the chair beside his hospital bed and staring at the steady movement of his chest while the mechanical beeping of his heart fills the room.

He already contacted Krolia and explained the situation, heart clenching when he caught the expression of heartbreak on her face when he finally gained the courage to look at her.

“I’ll be there soon,” Krolia had said at the end of the call, voice wavering. “Thank you for staying by his side, Shiro.”

_ Where else would I go? _ Shiro had thought.

After a few weeks of waiting and wondering, in-between meeting with their allies in the Voltron Coalition and making plans to start rebuilding, the Paladins start to wake up.

Hunk is the first, then Pidge, then Lance, then Allura. Shiro’s happy to see that they’re okay, and he’s certain that their families share the sentiment, but there’s the smallest curl of jealousy that settles low in his gut whenever he sees them.

Keith still hasn’t opened his eyes.

The waiting is killing him and while he knows that Keith is okay, worry continues to eat at him when another day passes and there’s no further change.

He stays by Keith’s side with Kosmo, who keeps licking Keith’s face and sadly whines when he receives no response. Shiro only leaves when Krolia arrives with Kolivan, obeying her gentle command to freshen up and get some food—encouraged by the added comment that Keith wouldn’t like it if he wasn’t taking care of himself.

Shiro finally gets good news after he delivers his speech, which gives him a huge burst of energy and sends him rushing to the infirmary. 

Keith is awake.

He offers a quick wave to the other Paladins as he passes their rooms, skidding to a stop in front of Keith’s open door. Nerves make his stomach twist as he peers inside, heart jumping in his chest when Keith looks over at him from where he’s sitting against the pillows.

“Hi,” Keith says with a smile. His hair is disheveled, still looking silky to the touch. A few strands curl around his face, and his eyes look like they’re glowing in the light of the setting sun.

He looks beautiful.

“Hi,” Shiro breathes, sagging against the doorway in relief. “It’s good to see you.”

“Back at you,” Keith says, beckoning him over with a wave of his hand. “Come over here. I know you want to.”

Shiro is faintly aware of Krolia and Kolivan looking his way as he follows that command, ears growing warm as he sinks into the chair at Keith’s bedside. He finally offers a smile of his own as he reaches out to grab Keith’s hand, gently squeezing it as he scoots closer.

“I think I’ll take Kolivan to the cafeteria,” Krolia suddenly announces, dragging his attention away from Keith for a moment. She looks far too amused when he meets her gaze. “We’ll return in one varga,” she continues, trailing out the door with Kolivan right behind her. “Make sure he gets some rest.”

Strangely, it’s Keith who says, “I will.”

“I’m pretty sure she was saying that to me,” Shiro comments wryly after the door is shut, amusement dying out when he sees the serious expression on Keith’s face.

Keith withdraws his hand and scoots over, patting the empty space next to him. “Come up here,” he says quietly, another command. “You need sleep.”

“So do you,” Shiro argues weakly. “I can’t take your bed when you need it more than me.”

His resolve crumbles when Keith’s eyes soften, the soft whisper of, “ _ Please, _ ” pushing him to unlace his boots and climb into the small hospital bed with Keith. 

It’s a tight fit, but Keith doesn’t seem to mind.

“M’glad you’re okay,” Shiro says, head resting on Keith’s thigh while his thumb rubs circles against his knee. “I was so worried, Keith. When I saw you…” He swallows, unable to say more.

Fingers thread through his hair and brush through it in a soothing motion. Shiro can’t help but sigh and push his head up into the touch, peering up at him through half-lidded eyes.

“I’m right here,” Keith says quietly. “I’m okay.”

“You weren’t for a while,” Shiro tells him hoarsely, the memory of Keith’s still form nearly bringing back his panic and dread. “You took the hardest hit of all the Lions, Keith, and when I rushed inside… you weren’t breathing.”

“Oh…”

“You scared me, Keith.” Shiro takes a breath and confesses in a whisper, “I don’t know what I’d do if you died.”

The hand in his hair stills for a moment, and Shiro wonders if that was too much for Keith—not quite a confession, but his statement is meant to mean something beyond friendship.

“Shiro,” Keith says, and there’s the smallest waver to his voice. “Come up here?”

Keith shifts to lie on his side once Shiro scoots up, and he repeats the same action so they can look at each other. The small bed means that they’re pressed together with minimal space, but neither of them seems to mind.

“I’m not going anywhere, Shiro,” Keith says softly, the promise prevalent in his words. He suddenly shifts forward, and Shiro stills when he feels lips on his forehead. “Death can’t keep us apart.”

That’s… heavy, full of unspoken things that only Shiro can detect. 

His mouth feels dry, mind blanking out as he stares into Keith’s earnest gaze. He finds the courage in himself to slowly lean forward and press their lips together, eyes slipping shut when he hears Keith’s pleased hum as he kisses back.

It’s not the most ideal place to have a first kiss, the two of them crammed together in the hospital bed that Keith is supposed to be recovering in, but… it’s still perfect to Shiro.

“Sleep,” Keith whispers after they’ve exchanged a few more. Their foreheads are pressed together, breaths intermingling as time slips on by. “I’ll still be here when you wake up.”

“Okay,” Shiro murmurs, already giving in. He keeps his new hand curled around Keith’s hip, tentatively kissing him one last time. “I know we haven’t had the chance to talk about it,” he continues, wanting to get it out before he drifts off. “But I just want you to know that I love you, too.”

Shiro swears that he can  _ hear _ the smile in Keith’s voice when he says, “I love you.” Simple, soft, and sweet, followed by a gentler command of, “Now go to sleep.”

He falls asleep with ease, feeling completely relaxed and safe now that Keith is back with him.

**Author's Note:**

> I talk about sheith a lot on [twitter](https://twitter.com/viribirb).


End file.
